Last Blog....(-_-)

Blogging

Read Chapter 8 and 9

Respond to the following questions:

- When and how do teachers act as designers?

     Teachers, in my opinion have to be designers quite a bit of the time.  They are constantly trying to find innovative coming up with their lesson plans.  As the book stated, design is iniquitous.  Which is true in my opinion.  With that being said, then I also feel that teachers would fall into that category as well.  Teachers usually have many student, which means different learning styles as well.  Teachers, in my opinion act as designers the most when they are trying to prepare a lesson plan, because they have to keep in mind the many different learning styles that they have to accommodate.

- Select one of the followings and explain what it is and how it can be used in classroom: SketchUp, Trebuchet Simulator, Model Car Design, Scratch, iStopMotion, Impromptu. 

     A few of these programs/designs actually seem a bit familiar to me.  I think I may have used done something similar to some of them when I was in high school.  Anyway I choose the SketchUp design.  This is basically a program that would probably be used more in an architectural class for design.  The SketchUp allows the person to have a realistic view of something they want to construct.  They can start off with the 2-D images and work on up to the 3-D images of the build.

- Explain "Digital Storytelling by Kate Kemker." What do you think it would work in your classroom?

     Digital Storytelling in my opinion, just seems like a preparation for someone that runs a YouTube channel.  It seems like a fairly rather process.  First students come up with a story on paper, they use a camera to shoot it, then they upload it and edit it on the computer.  No offense, but I am pretty sure many people were doing that before Kate decided too.  I myself would probably use this in my classroom, since I plan on teaching journalism.  Digital Storytelling will definitely come in handy.

- Mathematics is one of the most abstract subject-matter domains. Helping students to visualize mathematical concepts is very useful in helping students make math real. What other methods suggested in the textbook will also help make math more real to students?

     Since this question started with math I guess the first method that I would suggest is the Visual geometry.  I feel that this method would be very useful, because the students get to choose the primary shapes and construct it by defining different various things about the shape.  The other method that I would use is the Digital Feedback.  This seems like a nice method, because first i is digital, and it also allows for feedback.  I think that when I become a teacher no matter what subject students are learning, technology will be involved in it one way or another.

- Is it possible to learn from TV alone?--that is, learn how to do something merely from watching TV instruction? 

     I feel that yes, it is very possible to learn things from just watching television alone.  I myself would be a prime example of that.  As a child my mother made sure that I watched many educational programs to help me learn.  Before I even reached Kindergarten I learned many of the things that my teacher was teaching just from watching certain show like Barney and Sesame Street.  With that being said I also feel that many bad things and habits can be learned from merely watching television instruction alone.

Reference
Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Week 12 Blog (^_*)

Explore http://voicethread.com/  and tell me how you feel about it.


Would you use it for your lesson plan?
I really enjoyed the different features of this website.  When you visit the page, you almost immediately are introduced to its many features.  The site really helps explain what a voice thread is and how it works very nicely.  The examples given on the website about the many different ways people use the website, really helps with the understanding.

Would you use it in the real classroom?
I would definitely use this tool in my classroom.  The way that everything is constructed really gives every student a chance to express their thoughts and their views when they want to. They would not have to wait to be called on like they would in a regular classroom setting.  The different tools for commenting also allow more visual freedom for the students as well. 

Conclusion.
The voice thread tool is something that I feel will help many classroom in any subject.  It would be something that I would prefer to use in my current online classes as opposed to the way they are operated now.  This tool; is a great way to have class outside of the classroom.  I would love to use this tool in in my classroom.  Voice thread is gives great instructions on how to use the program, and they are very easy to follow.  I can not wait to experiment with this in my classroom when I begin teaching.

Reference

What's a voicethread anyway. (2007). [Web]http://voicethread.com/

Gee's Principle

Respond to the following questions:

• Gee's principle of probing (p. 54) states that learning is a cycle of probing the world (doing something) and reflecting in and on this action and forming a hypothesis. Select 3 principles you think it would be important for education.

The three principles that I would use would have to be discovery, practice, and identity.  I feel that these three principles can work well on their own, but I also feel that they would work very well used together in a combination.  I would use the discovery principle, because many times I can remember things that I learn better when I find them out on my own.  The practice principle would help, because when you do something right many times you have a better chance at continuing that habit.  The identity principle would work well, because I like the fact that it deals with options.

• Good simulations are hard to create. If you were creating a simulation for your class, what activity would you support? What variables could students manipulate? How would they affect each other?

I would simulate a press conference or some sort of interviewing situation.  Where my students would get a chance to learn two different was of interviewing people.  They would have an interview with pre-decided questions to ask a person, and another where they would have to just ask questions off of the top of their heads.  Students would be able to manipulate the questions they are being asked as well as the responses.  I want them to know how to turn a negative response into a positive one, and also turn a good interviews into a great one.  The students would affect each other, because they would more familiar with the person they are interviewing and they will also play different characters so they will be able to be a little more creative e and have some fun.

• Conclusion

Gee's principles can be very helpful in any teaching environment.  Simulations can as well.  The simulations help you to better organize one's teaching strategies and habits or avenues to direct certain lessons.  With simulations they can help students to better prepare for many of the different things they may experience when they get into the real world.  They both are very beneficial tools that I plan on using later on with my profession.

• References

Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Bog #5 - Week 7 - Chapter 4

Paragraph 1: What types of writing activities would you make the best use of technology in your classrooms?

     I would like to make the best use out of the creative writing with technology.  Since I plan to teach journalism I feel that creative writing plays a large part in making a story interesting and keeping a reader engaged.  Using different blogs and website for my future students to express themselves through their writings could be a great outlet to help some one's creative juices flow.  I would have one formal blog for class, and another informal for free writing.
 

Paragraph 2: We are creating PowerPoint this week, how would you Not let PowerPoint presentation distract your audience? Do you think you can follow the potential pitfalls from the textbook?

     The using PowerPoint animations and graphics can help or hinder your effectiveness in catching the audience's attention and keeping them focused on your subject.  If I wanted to keep my lecture fun, I would use more sound animation to help keep my audience alert and focused.  I may through in some animation here and there, not much though, because I would not want to audience to just focus on that as it was stated in the book.

Paragraph 3: Conclusion

     In conclusion I feel that creative writing is something that should involve technology and power points, because it will give the writer more freedom to express themselves.  I enjoy using power points and blog now, because they allow me to add things and express myself in a way that will separate my work or domain from any other person's work, or thought.  Even if we maybe talking about the exact same subject.

Reference
Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Blog #4

Paragraph 1: Personal Digital Assistants
What are Personal Digital Assistants? How do you use them in classrooms?
     Personal Digital Assistants are also known as handhed devices.  For short they are also reffered to as PDAs.  Many people use them to help organize their daily lives.  Teachers say they are very helpful in the classroom for "instruction and positively impact student motivation."  Personal digital assistants usely run on the Palm operating system and some on windows, but I feel that with the new Android system many classrooms may see a change in they systems.
Paragraph 2: Online Surveys
Why do we use online survey tools? How does it help us in our classrooms? What are 2 good rules for writing good surveys in your opinion?
     We use online surveys to help collect data for different curriculums.  Surveys can help in classrooms by allowing the teachers top learn more about their students, as well as allowing students learn more about themselves.  In my opinion my first rule would be to make the survey questions repeat themselves, but in a different way to ensure more acurate results.  Make many of the questions yes or no.

Paragraph 3: Conclusion
     I feel that technology and school have to go hand and hand with the growth of it in the world and our everyday lives.  I believe that eventually many schools will use less books and more online sources for their teachings.  With the growth of technology and its many uses, many students can access things for class without being in class.  I enjoy the idea of being able to connect with students anytime I am available.




Reference
Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Bog #3

Paragraph1: According to the website,

please tell what you find, what you think, and what interests you. How and why may you use Inspiration in your classroom? What do you think about Webspiration Classroom? 

From the website I found that the two computer programs could be very beneficial to students of the more technical age.  I would probably use Inspiration in my classroom a little bit, but I could not use the program for my class all of the time.  I am just strongly believe in learning by doing, so I would probably still have my students to do some hand written assignments just because that was the way I learned things in school. I also have the same feeling toward using Webspiration in the classroom as well.

Paragraph 2: According to the website and the textbook, answer the following questions:

What type of writing activities would make the best use of technology in your classroom?

Writing is an activity that benefits from multiple revisions and high-quality feedback. Recognizing that your teaching time is limited, how can you have students help each other during writing? How can you use technology tools to support peer feedback?

Recall the first time you had to teach a new topic or skill. How well did you know  the topic before you taught it? Did you know it better after you taught it?

I feel that for the field of education that I plan to teach that technology will play a very big point in many of the assignments and activities that my class will do.  I would use the creative writing for my class.  I would use the online classroom tools, such as blogs and discussion boards, and even email so that the students would be able to interact and help each other on assignments without being in a classroom, or even in the same room.  I would also monitor what was being said and passed around to hep prevent the students from cheating and sharing answers.  The first topic or skill I can remeber teaching was a cheer.  I was a cheerleader at the time and  once I taught the cheer I felt I knew it somewhat better.

Paragraph 3: Conclusion

Teaching and learning are two things, or skills, that you become better at by doing, in my opinion.  With technology and computers becoming more prevalent to everything we do, teachers and educators must learn to teach more things through technology and the web.  The world has become more fast paced, and will continue to do so.  Technology is become one of the most important factors in almost every part of every one's life education must keep up.






Referenceshttp://www.inspiration.com/webspirationclassroom
http://www.inspiration.com/videos/Inspiration
Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Blog #2

Questions:

What do you think about using blogs?

What and how do you think blogs would be useful for education? 

Some people think using blogs in classrooms is a waste of students’ time. How would you respond?

What are some ways that you could use he technology ideas in Chapter 6 to support your curriculum and student learners?

1. I think blogs are a cheap way to access and share news, or any general information.  I think more of the younger generations are into them, because we do not really watch the news or pick up a news paper.  I do not like using blogs myself, because I would rather share any information I want to lend on facebook or twitter.

2. I think blogs could be useful in school, but not really just so much that it would need to become a requirement for the classrooms.  It could be a way for teachers to be able to share information with their students at any time of the day, and recieve input without meeting in the classroom.

3. I woud say it just depends on the course, the teacher, and the student.  If it is a computer, english, or photography class, then yes it would be benificial.  For something like a history class then no.

4. I found many students already use blogs in their everyday lives anyway.  I want to become a photo journalism teacher, so I would use the blogs to view my student's writting as well as their photographs.  In one of my previous photo classes we used blogs to submit and critique our work, instead of printing photos and wasting paper.

References

Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Blog in Plain English

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI